The Diabetic And An Exercise Recovery Plan: There may be many things that hinder the role of exercise in the life of the diabetic. For instance there is significant research that indicates depression and diabetes often co-exist – and they don’t make very good companions. What this often means for the diabetic is they have little interest in exercise. They may in fact have little interest in virtually all aspects of life.
This is where a support team of family and friends becomes very important. If you can work to encourage and inspire the diabetic in your life to exercise they may be able to move a few steps away from depression while effectively improving their blood glucose levels.
Exercise is often thought of in extremes. It is either a casual walk in the park or it is a sweat-inducing regimen at the local health club. Neither has to be the exact course of action you take. In both cases careful attention to needed snacks will be important.
Consider the following exercise possibilities.
- Aerobics
- Swimming
- Biking
- Elliptical
- Basketball
- Jogging
- Walking with purpose
Now consider the joy of being able to do these things with a friend or family member.
To be honest, it will often take the intervention of someone else to move a newly diagnosed diabetic into the world of exercise as part of a self-maintenance diabetic program. Family members should understand that this is a point of grief recovery for the diabetic. Life as they had always known it has changed. There is significant loss for that individual. They may, in fact, feel as if they have simply been told they are much closer to death than ever before. This news is radically disconcerting to most.
These individuals may have missed the part where the doctor expressed hope and provided positive ways in which that individual could really live life.
LifeClinic.com suggests the following reasons for diabetics to get active.
- Exercise burns calories, which will help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
- Regular exercise can help your body respond to insulin and is known to be effective in managing blood glucose. Exercise can lower blood glucose and possibly reduce the amount of medication you need to treat diabetes, or even eliminate the need for medication.
- Exercise can improve your circulation, especially in your arms and legs, where people with diabetes can have problems.
- Exercise can help reduce your cholesterol and high blood pressure. High cholesterol and high blood pressure can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
- Exercise helps reduce stress, which can raise your glucose level.
- It can lower your risk for heart disease; reduce your cholesterol levels and your blood pressure.
- In some people, exercise combined with a meal plan, can control Type 2 Diabetes without the need for medications.
Your gentle nudge can help the diabetic in your life move past the inward reflection they have indulged in and onto a future they can share with others.
